Sea Cadets send off gifts to Air Force wing

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Sea Cadets AL PO3 Evan Forayter, LPO PO1 Shannon Penne and PO3 Mason Boschee (left to right) on Saturday organize some of the gifts that were donated for care packages the cadets have sent to Air Force personnel stationed in the Iraq arena. (Jason Halley/Staff Photo) <p class='dotPhoto'>All Chico E-R photos are available <a href='http://chicoer.mycapture.com/'>here</a>.</p>

CHICO — For the fourth Christmas, the Air Force’s 380th Air Expeditionary Wing serving in the Iraq arena will receive gifts from a small but dedicated group of sea cadets.

Saturday, teens in the Golden Bear Division of the Naval Sea Cadets finished up their gift drive of personal items and snacks to be shipped out to Air Force personnel.

The project got its start when Cadet Ryan Penne, 13, met Col. Darryl W. Burke, vice commander of the Air Force’s 9th Reconnaissance Wing. They made a connection and the cadets conducted a gift drive to send Christmas packages to the expeditionary wing.

Now, Airman Ryan Penne is in training to be a para-rescuer at Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque, N.M., but the cadet corps in Chico continues the tradition. Although Brigadier General Burke is no longer in charge of the reconnaissance wing, the Christmas packages still go out to the 380th.

Ryan’s sister Shannon Penne, 16, has been a cadet for three years and Ryan’s mother, Danielle Penne is in the Sea Cadet Officer Corps, the adults who guide the cadets.

Danielle Penne said Tuesday night she had just dropped off 100 boxes — weighing about 900 pounds — to Beale Air Force Base in Marysville. They will be placed on a flight Saturday to arrive to the 380th by Wednesday.